14 Arrested For Raping, Burning Alive 16-Year-Old in Jharkhand's Chatra
The victim's family belongs to the Ravidas community, which is a minority in the village dominated by Bhuiyans.
Ranchi, May 5: 14 among the 18 charged by the police for their involvement in the horrific gangrape-murder of a minor in Jharkhand's Chatra district have been arrested.
The arrest came a day after the 16-year-old was burnt alive inside her house in Raja Kendua village of Chatra. Among those who have been nabbed by the police, include panchayat mukhiya Mukhiya Tileshwari Devi and panchayat samiti member Ranjay Rajak.
Devi and Rajak are charged of tampering with the evidence in the case. The victim's father had approached the duo after her daughter was gangraped late on Thursday night. In the panchayat called by them on Friday morning, the victims were handed over a punishment of merely "kneeling down 100 times", apart from paying Rs 50,000 as compensation to the raped girl's family.
Enraged by the punishment awarded to them, the accused barged into the victim's home again, assaulted her parents, and charred her down to death.
Among the four who are yet to be arrested, include the prime accused Dhanu Bhuiyan, said Bokaro range inspector general of police Shambhu Thakur.
"Raids are being conducted to nab him and others at the earliest," the IG said, adding that they are also probing the role of locals in shielding them.
Chatra deputy commissioner of police, Jitendra Singh, met the bereaved family and handed over a cheque of Rs 1 lakh as financial compensation. Singh also assured justice to the victim's kin.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das has directed the administration and police officials to crackdown on all the accused at the earliest. On his directions, the Chatra superintendent of police Akhilesh B Variar has been tasked to camp in the victim's village for the next couple of days.
The victim's family belongs to the Ravidas community, which is a minority in the village dominated by Bhuiyans
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2018 03:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).